Darrell N. Ward

Dr. Darrell N. Ward, 89, former head of the Department of Biochemistry at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, died Sunday in Austin of complications related to Parkinson's disease.
Darrell was born Jan. 22, 1924, in Logan, Utah, where his father, Hubert, owned Ward's Tire and Battery. He was the eldest of six siblings. To his mother Phyllis' chagrin, Darrell fudged on his age and joined the Marine Corps at 17 during World War II, serving from 1942-46. He was stationed in Okinawa. Darrell proposed to his high school sweetheart, Afton Hall, while he was overseas. It was an off-and-on-again relationship, and the ring went back and forth over the ocean. At least that's how he told the story; he loved to tell tales with his wry sense of humor. He was ever the practical joker.
The couple married in the Logan Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1946, as soon as he returned from the war. Darrell graduated from Utah State University on the GI Bill, and then received his master's and doctorate degrees at Stanford University. By that time he had three beautiful daughters. Darrell and Afton moved the family to New York in 1952 for post-doctorate work at Cornell University, and another beautiful daughter was born. In 1956 M.D. Anderson brought him to Houston, where he did protein research, had two sons finally and yet another beautiful daughter. He served as the head of biochemistry for 21 years. His contributions to science include the unraveling of the structure of the luteinizing hormone, a complicated glycoprotein hormone vital to ovulation and conception. In a story on the front page of the Houston Chronicle in 1971, Anderson's then-president R. Lee Clark hailed the feat as "a key to future birth-control methods, as well as having important uses in animal husbandry, aiding fertility in humans and in cancer research."
In 1978, Darrell received the Endocrine Society's prestigious Ayerst Award for Distinguished Service for his work in determining the amino acid sequence of LH. He retired in 1992 with a Distinguished Service Award. He was also awarded the Utah State University Alumni Achievement Award for his contributions in biochemistry.
He served as President of the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Faculty in Houston, and he loved working with his graduate students as much he loved his lab work; he kept up with their careers and relished their achievements. Darrell and Afton were happiest in the mountains. They built a cabin in the woods in Pagosa Springs, Colo., where the family would gather come summer. Darrell and Afton loved it best when it was teeming with kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews. For many years, Parkinson's had affected Darrell's motor skills. He and Afton moved to Austin in 2007 to be close to their children. They had loving caregivers in Houston and Austin for whom the family is thankful. Darrell loved visits from his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Always the scientist, when Darrell learned that his research was readily accessible online, it brought tears to his eyes. Darrell is preceded in death by his beloved wife, whom he called Atty, as well as his parents and three of his sisters, Roselyn Larsen, Marjean Melville and Afton Williamson. He is survived by his sister, Janet Johnson of Logan, Utah; his brother Jay Ward of Hesperia, Calif.; daughter Kathy Coburn of Austin and her sons Shane, Leif and Matthew Coburn; daughter Pamela Reese, her husband Mike Reese and their daughter and her husband, Shelly and David Bain, of Austin; daughter Becky Ward of Austin; daughter Janeen Browning and her husband Brent Browning of Houston, and their children Cory Browning and Ryan and Natalie Browning; son Alan Darrell Ward and his wife Jolene Beck Ward of Fort Collins, Colo., and their six children and their spouses, Jenny and Chris Parks, Jared and Stephanie Ward, Melissa and Eric Robison, Chesley and Blake Law, Brett and Beth Ward, and Jake Ward; daughter Melissa Ward Aguilar and her children Tessa and Dylan of Bellaire, Texas; and son Gregory Hall Ward and his wife Susan and their sons Elliot, Felix and Isaac, of Austin.
Darrell is also survived by his 20 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held in Logan, Utah. A reception will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and the funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Nelson Funeral Home.